Inconvenience? Set-back? Opportunity?

I am presently located very conveniently, across the street from the city library in Bishop - with time on my hands and the opportunity to post a few photos.  Although I must confess that my enthusiasm for the task has suffered a little.

The walk is proceeding at little more then a crawl just now!  New boots arrived at the Post Office in Lone Pine, and within a few miles I found myself noticing several problems that worsened over the following days.  The foot issues don't bear too much description, and I haven't the heart for it anyway.  But I have been stalled once again, with some wounds that needed healing, and the on-going quandary of what to do about footwear!  Luckily there is a good hostel here (Hostel California!), and plenty of outdoor gear/sporting goods stores that service the many Eastern Sierra hikers and climbers.  The scenery is still breath-taking - mountains to the east and the west.  Yesterday I was treated (by fellow hostelers with a car!) to a day of sight-seeing/walking on some gorgeous hiking trails in the vicinity.  Tried out a pair of running shoes without further damaging repercussions...

One very interesting and worthwhile detour between Lone Pine and Independence was a stop at the former Japanese internment camp at Manzanar.  The site is extensive and very evocative, and the Nat'l Park Service has done a great job of putting together the museum and introductory video.  I spent a couple of hours there and could have stayed longer.

Bishop represents another turning point; in just a couple of miles I'll be on U.S. Route 6 - a route I could conceivably follow all the way to New England!  The Nevada state line is about three days walk from here (at my speed and inclination!), and in Nevada there will be great stretches of lonely highway, devoid of services, or so I hear...  Maybe I do need extra time in Bishop just to breathe slowly and deeply, and take that in!  A very great blessing and comfort is that I will have some vehicular support for a few days starting in Tonopah, NV.  Have also been in touch with a Nevada resident I will be visiting next month, in the middle of the longest stretch between towns.

The Hostel California



Manzanar Museum